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8/09/2009

It was a return to the tradition of Ashes cricket for the 4th test, with Australia smashing the Poms by an innings and 80 runs. The English were bowled out for a paltry 102 in the first dig, with only Cook(30), Prior(37) and Extras(17) getting into double figures. Collingwood got the dreaded -20 points for a duck. Top marks if you picked Extras in your Dream Team. Siddle(5/21) and Clark(3/18) showed that good line and length and decent pace are all you need to bowl if the pitch is doing a bit.

Australia then piled on 445 in reply, thanks to North(110), Clarke(93), Ponting(78) and Watson(51). There were also decent bowler-batting scores for Johnson(27) and Clark(32). Australia scored at 4.27 runs per over, ensuring no economy rate bonuses for the English bowlers. The game was probably over as a contest once the Aussies past 300, but for DTers, the game isn't over until the last ball. Stewie Broad picked up 6/91 to be the pick of the bowlers while Anderson and Swann went wicketless (leaving Swann with 0 points up to this point). Katich got the -20, but 2 catches in Englands 1st innings meant that he wasn't looking at a negative score.

England tried a bit in their 2nd dig, but never had a chance to make a game of it. Their horrid batting lineup failed again, with Bopara getting a 1st baller and Bell and Collingwood getting 7 between them. Strauss(32) and Cook(30) got starts as did Prior(22), but it was the bowlers who shone for astute coaches. Stuart Broad got a swashbuckling 61, and Swann moved off the donut with 62 while Harmison got 19 not to ease the pain of those coaches who traded Broad for him, thinking Stewie would be dropped.